Kazumi: Born to Be a System

A reclusive young man, living in his own secluded world, encounters a lively, radiant girl named Sakura due to an unusual coincidence. Their meeting might seem like a typical drama, with the girl battling a terminal illness and documenting her journey in a diary that the boy happens to find, intertwining their lives from that moment on.

At first glance, the plot may seem ordinary, but it's the kind of story that, once read, has readers deeply moved.

In her past life, Kotomi had that exact experience. Not having read the original novel, she only knew a movie adaptation was coming out, and, conveniently being on holiday, she bought a ticket and went to see it. Perhaps because the residents of Lake City weren't particularly interested in animated movies, she ended up with the theater all to herself, fully enjoying the "private screening" she hadn't anticipated.

That said, Kotomi actually enjoyed watching movies alone.

While watching I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, she was moved to tears, wiping them away with tissues once the credits rolled and she left the theater. Afterward, she immediately went to the bookstore, bought the novel, and cried all over again reading it.

—To not stir the hearts of readers and audiences alike would be a real waste.

With that thought in mind, Kotomi resolved to write I Want to Eat Your Pancreas in this life.

The core story concept was set, and she would keep the original names, but she planned to add nuanced details to make readers cry even harder.

"What if I upgraded my writing level again? With each level, the impact and emotional depth of my writing increase. If I can maximize the emotional immersion and sorrow, eh-heh~" Kotomi chuckled, immediately using her Fame Points to raise her writing skill by two levels, hitting level 9.

Writing Level: 9 (next level requires 60,000 Fame Points)

"The amount of Fame Points needed is getting ridiculous…" Kotomi muttered.

At this rate, she was beginning to worry that just relying on her popularity from the Dengeki Bunko website wouldn't suffice to generate enough Fame Points.

In the Japanese light novel industry, earning reputation and higher royalties really depended on published books. Though her Fame Points were still steadily increasing each day, quick upgrades seemed impossible, and she found herself eagerly awaiting the upcoming manga serialization and the release of Sword Art Online Volume next month.

That would surely mean an increase in revenue and a spike in Fame Points.

"But that aside, I wonder… if I do reach level 10, will there be any kind of special reward?" Kotomi mused aloud, curiosity nagging her, prompting her to ask Kazumi, her system spirit:

"Kazumi, is there a special reward for reaching level 10 or level 20 in a skill?"

"Special reward?" Kazumi tilted her head. "Well, this is actually my first time officially functioning as a system. So, frankly, I haven't really figured out some of these processes myself."

"Oh, great! How could you be any more useless?"

"I could, actually," Kazumi responded with self-assurance, as if showing that the shamelessness reached such a level that she no longer felt any embarrassment.

Born to be a system, and I'm loving it!

With that, Kotomi was left speechless.

"Sigh... I wanted to ask if there'd be any effect from reaching level 10. But I guess asking you was a waste." Kotomi sighed in defeat.

"Hold on, why are you so convinced there'd be a reward for level 10?" asked Kazumi, puzzled.

"It's standard in games! Each milestone level gives you some kind of achievement reward—a new feature, or maybe some new equipment!"

"This isn't a game… as for equipment, I do have some personal collectibles in the system inventory. If you're interested, I could bring out items like the Signal Axe, a RideHeisaber, an M1917, or even the Spear of Longinus from Evangelion!"

"Wait, what? You have the RideHeisaber and Longinus? Do they still work, like at full power?" Kotomi's eyes lit up.

"Eh-heh, well, I've sealed away all their powers, so they're really more like collectibles."

"What if you unseal them?"

"Well… I sealed them so thoroughly that, as it turns out, I can't actually unseal them myself anymore," Kazumi admitted sheepishly.

"Are you serious…?" Kotomi was stunned, but it somehow fit. Kazumi's collection, aside from the somewhat regular M1917, included increasingly absurdly powerful items.

If they could unleash their original power, she'd have likely reincarnated in a fantasy world instead of the modern one—probably fighting among beastfolk and elves instead.

But sealing them so thoroughly that she'd forgotten how to unseal them was a level of ridiculousness only Kazumi could pull off.

Realizing how foolish she sounded, Kazumi quickly added, "Actually, I do have some clothing in my collection. I've never worn them, but I've always liked picking out fun outfits. If you're interested, I can bring them out for you to wear. Though since you haven't unlocked the system storage yet, I'd have to bring them out myself."

"How many Fame Points do I need to unlock the storage?" Kotomi asked.

"Currently, you'd need a cumulative total of 660,000 Fame Points to fully unlock it. But rest assured, Kotomi; it's cumulative, not one-time. You just need your balance to hit 660,000 points at any moment to unlock it."

"Oh, that's not so bad," Kotomi nodded, now understanding the requirement.

At first, hearing the need for 660,000 points had her feeling slightly panicked at the thought of spending so many Fame Points!

But now that she knew it only required an accumulated total, the task felt much more achievable.

Soon, I'll have access to the system's inventory!

After arranging her document files, Kotomi closed her laptop and went to bed. She'd spent the day with Kasumigaoka-senpai and would spend tomorrow with Aimi and Iroha.

Early to bed, early to rise.

How was she going to juggle her time with both of them, anyway? Lying there, pondering the dilemma, Kotomi slowly drifted off to sleep.

Once Kotomi was sound asleep, Kazumi finally remembered the upgrade effect she'd forgotten and blurted out, "Oh no! Kotomi! I remembered! When you reach level 10 in any skill, there's no special reward, but the Queen of All Females effect will automatically trigger at ten times its usual intensity! So, Kotomi, you should definitely be prepared before hitting level 10… Kotomi? Are you asleep already? Ah, what timing!"

The [Queen of All Females] physique, as the name implies, granted Kotomi unique physical attributes since reincarnating in Japan. She'd been thoroughly enjoying the advantages it brought her.

Strength, reaction speed, memory, and mental stamina.

In another system, each of these traits might need to be upgraded individually. But with the Queen physique, Kotomi didn't have to worry about upgrading any of these; her physique enhanced them all, allowing her to relax and enjoy the benefits without effort.

However, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

Despite its perks, even the Queen of All Females had side effects.

Though she was aware of this from the description and knew the kind of difficult-to-describe state she'd be in when the side effects kicked in, Kotomi had grown complacent. The recent calm had lulled her into assuming it was a "bug" that had been fixed.

Who would've guessed a huge one was lying in wait?

Fast asleep, Kotomi had no idea of the trouble brewing.

Seeing her sleep so peacefully, with a slight smile at the corner of her mouth, Kazumi decided not to disturb her.

"When her writing level hits 10, she'll be forced to experience a supercharged side effect of the Queen of All Females. This is important—I can't forget! I have to remember and tell Kotomi first thing in the morning!"

Kazumi's tone was full of resolute sincerity, her gaze firm.

"Early to bed, early to rise!" Kazumi announced confidently, hugging her pillow tight and curling up to sleep.

She slept right through to 11 a.m. the next day.

After a series of sweet dreams, she'd unsurprisingly… forgotten everything.

Meanwhile, Kotomi had woken up at 8 a.m., vaguely recalling Kazumi's voice last night. But sleep had overtaken her, and she had been too drowsy to pay attention before dozing off.

It had been a deep sleep, too.

"Kazumi? Kazumi, did you say something to me before I fell asleep last night?" Kotomi asked while dressing.

She had the feeling she'd missed something important.

But only the soft sounds of Kazumi's breathing answered her.

She's really sound asleep!

If she couldn't pull up the system interface with a wave, Kotomi might wonder if Kazumi was really a system at all.

Other systems were always on standby, available 24/7, helping the protagonist with god-tier abilities.

But hers? Hers frequently did embarrassing things, had the reliability of a potato server, and had regular meals and sleep like a person.

"Of all the systems in those OP novels I read in my previous life, Kazumi is without a doubt the most unpredictable," Kotomi chuckled.

Even with Kazumi's antics, Kotomi felt that without her, the whole reincarnation experience would have driven her mad.

In novels, the protagonist usually accepts reincarnation and the system at once. Though Kotomi had also taken it in stride and told herself, "Since I'm already changed, I have to adapt."

Outwardly, she seemed positive. But for the first few days, a quiet anxiety had lingered within her.

Kotomi hadn't said anything, trying to adjust actively. Yet Kazumi noticed her unease. As a system, Kazumi couldn't fully feel emotions, but she could pick up on Kotomi's moods from subtle details.

Rather than directly comforting Kotomi, Kazumi did her best to keep her distracted.

That's why Kazumi took every chance to make Kotomi laugh or lighten the atmosphere. Whether Kotomi ended up laughing or scowling, as long as it lessened her anxiety, Kazumi had done her job.

It was an effective approach.

After the first few days, Kotomi's initial unease faded. By now, she'd fully embraced her new self and life.

Kazumi was her best companion!

"Kazumi? Ah… still asleep. How late does she stay up every night? She'll probably sleep until 11," Kotomi muttered and decided to let her rest.

As she changed clothes and sat at her vanity applying a soft, pure-yet-gorgeous makeup look, her mind continued to wander.

But as she set down her pale pink lipstick, a thought struck her!

Quickly, she looked up at herself in the mirror.

Short, snow-white hair framed her pink-hued eyes, which glistened like soft gemstones. Her delicate, fair face, radiating natural beauty, only grew more captivating with the light makeup, casting an ethereal glow.

And her figure—an impressive sight to anyone, male or female, likely to leave them breathless.

Even Kotomi's heart skipped a beat as she gazed at her reflection, unable to stop herself from exclaiming,

"Oh my god! Who is this stunning beauty, so flawless, so otherworldly, so charming, so graceful, so dazzling, so heart-stopping? Oh! It's me!"

Her old literature teacher would surely be impressed by her word choice.

She was already beautiful, but now with a hint of makeup… Surely, she'd become someone's ideal image.

"Wait! Why am I suddenly so absorbed in my own beauty? Was I this narcissistic in my past life?" Kotomi shook her head, forcing herself out of the self-admiring trance.

She wasn't sure why, but she'd started to subconsciously put on makeup lately. By the time she noticed, she'd already done her makeup to perfection.

What's the reason? Kotomi wasn't sure.

She usually just wiped it off, but today… the makeup was so flawless.

For the first time, the typically bare-faced Kotomi couldn't bear to remove it. Her hand hovered over the makeup remover but didn't reach for it.

Standing before the mirror, her cheeks flushed as she coughed and tried to rationalize,

"Ahem. Well, since I'm hanging out with Iroha today, it wouldn't hurt to wear a little makeup."

A feeble excuse if there ever was one.

After her declaration, Kotomi found herself gently holding her delicate face, gazing at her reflection in a daze.

"So beautiful~"

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